Talks & Spoken Word

QUEERING THE MIDDLE AGES TALK AND TOUR Dr Liam Lewis discusses marvellous trans saints and queer knights whose stories may have been told at Weoley Castle, Sat 3 June, Weoley Castle, Birmingham

POETRY MACHINE Beth Calverley chats to visitors about their interests and dreams as she produces a brandnew poem, Sat 3 - Sun 4 June, Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire

ALAN FLETCHER: THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW Join Ramsey Street’s most famous doctor as he looks back on and celebrates almost three decades of hit TV series Neighbours, Sun 4 June, Malvern Theatres

Events

SUPERHERO ADVENTURES - CRAFTS AND TRAIL Arrive dressed up - ready to save the day - and create a wooden puppet hero before following the trail around the castle and museum, until Thurs 1 June, Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle

1940S WEEK Explore life in the 1940s via workshops, displays and activities, until Thurs 1 June, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

WHITSUN HALF TERM FAMILY FUN

‘SECRET GARDEN’ Follow the Robin trail through Spetchley Park to find the key and unlock the door to the secret garden, until Fri 2 June, Spetchley Park Gardens, Worcestershire

PEPPA PIG AT SEA LIFE Meet Peppa as she dives into a new adventure, making friends with thousands of sea creatures, until Fri 2 June, National SEA LIFE Centre, Birmingham

CLIMATE BUSKING Discover how the changing ocean is having an impact on its millions of fish shells, and what we can do for the climate, until Fri 2 June, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

ZOOLAB CLIMATE CRUSADER’S SHOW

Get ‘up close and hands-on’ with exotic animals as you learn about the changing planet, until Fri 2 June, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

MAKE YOUR OWN PAPER PLANT POT

Make your very own paper plant pots and plant dwarf French beans, which you can take home and care for this summer, until Fri 2 June, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

FAMILY CIVIL WAR SOLDIER SCHOOL

Have a go at pike and cannon drills, play games soldiers would have played, and help King Charles II escape from the Parliamentarian army, until Fri 2 June, The Commandery, Worcester

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Freddo hosts his very own magic show, until Fri 2 June, Cadbury World, Bournville, Birmingham

SEVERN RISING 2222 GAME New interactive and immersive game, set 200 years in the future in a flooded version of the city consumed by nature, where the wildlife does the talking, until Sat 3 June, Worcester Art Gallery and Museum

TINKER MAKE PLAY - PLAYING WITH GRAVITY Discover the power of gravity in this family engineering session, until Sat 3 June, Coventry Transport Museum

MAY HALF-TERM CRAFTS: SCENIC

SEASCAPES Explore watercolours, collaging and junk modelling, until Sat 3 June, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

JUNK MODELLING MAKER CHALLENGE

Get creative by upcycling waste into new inventions, until Sun 4 June, Coventry Transport Museum

THE GIANT’S GARDEN Follow the trail of Bodenham’s busy bees and discover what has been created in the Giant’s Garden, until Sun 4 June, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

BRICKLIVE BRICKOSAURS Get ready for a ‘roar-some display on a T-Rex scale’, until Sun 4 June, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kiddersminster

SHARKLIFE Learn the truth about sharks, until Sun 4 June, National SEA LIFE Centre, Birmingham

KENILWORTH CASTLE & KIDS RULE!

Celebrate King Charles III’s coronation with hands-on activities and family fun, until Sun 4 June, Kenilworth Castle

PIRATE INVASION Help save Hatton from the dreaded pirate invasion, until Sun 4 June, Hatton Adventure World, Warwick

50TH BIRTHDAY CHARACTER WEEK Meet Peppa, Bing, Bluey, Hey Duggee and Paddington as they will be making personal appearances at ticketed

Meet & Greet sessions, until Sun 4 June, West Midland Safari & Leisure Park, Bewdley, Nr Kiddersminster

WITLEY COURT & KIDS RULE! Celebrate King Charles III’s coronation with hands-on activities and family fun, until Sun 4 June, Witley Court, Worcestershire

MARDI GRAS Carnival-inspired takeover featuring an explosion of colours, ‘sensational’ flavours, highenergy music and much more, until Sun 18 June, Alton Towers, Staffordshire

FAMILY ACTIVITIES - ANIMAL ANTICS

Test your safari skills and go wild looking for fabulous famous animals, until Sat 1 July, Worcester Art Gallery & Museum

LEGO CITY Join the Lego City Minifigure team - Ricky Rocket Racer, Mech-Max, Go-To Gary and Fearless Fi - as they set epic missions for you to complete, until Sat 9 July, Legoland Discovery Centre

Birmingham

LIVE & DYE GARDEN Help out at the garden, Thurs 1 June, Coventry Cathedral

THEATRE TOUR Go behind the scenes at the UK’s first purpose-built repertory theatre, Thurs 1 June, Old Rep, Birmingham

CANDLELIGHT: TRIBUTE TO COLDPLAY AT ST PHILIP’S CATHEDRAL Discover the music of Coldplay at St Philip’s Cathedral, Thurs 1 June, Birmingham Cathedral

TALL TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Interactive storytelling with a craft activity, Fri 2 June, Aston Hall, Birmingham

FARGO LIVE LATIN Live music, dancing and drinks, Fri 2 June, FarGo Village, Coventry

UK GAMES EXPO All aspects of the tabletop gaming hobby are represented under one roof, Fri 2Sun 4 June, NEC, Birmingham

MIDLANDS AIR FESTIVAL Returning for a fifth year, with over 100 hot-air balloons in attendance, Fri 2 - Sun 4 June, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire

HOME FRONT CRAFTS Brush up on your needlework or felting skills, Fri 2 - Sun 4 June, RAF Museum

Midlands, Cosford

BACKSTAGE TOUR Dress up like 1930s stars and join in on the mystery, Sat 3 June, The Rep, Birmingham

KENILWORTH SHOW Coventry and Warwickshire’s largest agricultural show, Sat 3 June, Stoneleigh Rd,

Warwickshire

JAGUAR BREAKFAST MEET Open to all Jaguar owners and enthusiasts, regardless of affiliation with a club, forum or group, Sat 3 June, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

VINTAGE VERA KILO SALE Browse tonnes of clothing from a variety of brands, including unique vintage pieces, Sat 3 - Sun 4 June, FarGo Village, Coventry

MOTOFEST: COVENTRY CONCOURS 2023

Featuring cars and motorcycles from the 1950s through to the present day, Sat 3 - Sun 4 June, Coventry

Cathedral

MEET THE VIKINGS Featuring crafts, combat displays and cooking demonstrations, Sat 3 - Sun 4 June, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

NATIONAL METRO & MINI SHOW Owners of Metros, classic Minis and modern MINIs unite to celebrate their cars, Sun 4 June, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

FAMILY FUN DAY Family fun with garden games and a zip-wire on the Valley Lawn, Sun 4 June, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

Festivals in the Midlands

FORBIDDEN FOREST Line-up includes Andy C, Camelphat, High Contrast, Marco Carola, Fri 2 - Sun 4 June, Belvoir Castle, Nottinghamshire

WYCHWOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL Line-up includes Happy Mondays, Travis, Sam Ryder, The Proclaimers, Fri 2Sun 4 June, Cheltenham Racecourse

LICHFIELD BLUES & JAZZ Line-up includes Catfish, Remi Harris Trio, Fred T Baker, Funky Velvet, Sun 4Sun 11 June, various locations across Lichfield